The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-06
WYOMA.
A settlement Unknown tn Fame-A Beau
tifuI Location-Fertiie Lands and Lefty
HiIls-The Profits of Gardening.

A settlement Unknown tn Fame-A Beau
tifuI Loeation-FertIIe Lands and Lefty
HiIis-The Profits of Gardening.
Palatka NEWS.
April 4, 1887.
For fifty miles south of Palatka the st.
Johns winds through a fertile country al
ready well populated which is naturally
tributary to your city, and is So well sup
piled with transportation facilities that.
to all intents and purposes, it might be
considered by your merchants part of
the municipality. Yet for some reason,
want of enterprise in your midst or dis
elimination against you by the boats,
this lucrative business still seeks its
headquarters in Jacksonville. Its peo-
pie are prosperous, the groves in this sec
ton are among the finest in the State.
and its little towns are beautifully sit
uated. and furnish local centers for
large country trade.
Most of these hamlets are well known
to the public, but your reporter visited
one which has just been granted the con-
reniences of separate pOst-Office and
is, as yet, unknown to the scribbler's
pencil. This is the settlement known as
Wyoma, on the western shore of Big
Lake George, directly south of Drayton
Island, in Marion county. In front rolls
the heaving waters of Florida's widest
lake, ever beautiful, whether in the
glory of sunshine or under the wild
shadow of the storm kings frown.
tho snrrn1n1-
ing the mouth of the little river through
which the waters of the wonderful Salt
Springs find way to the st. Johns and
through its channel To the ocean.
The settlement has dock of its own,
and here the vegetables grown under the
protecting influences of the warm wa
tiers which surround its gardens on three
sides, are started to market. To the
north and northwest. bordering the lake.
lies considerable body of low, rich
land, making the finest gardens yonr
correspondent has seen in the State.
Three hundred yards back from the
lake begins gradual ascent which rises
to an elevation of seventy or eighty feet
above the lake. From this long summit,
running parallel to- the river, opens one
of the most enhancing panOramas tn BE-
seen anywhere. In front lies the broad
lake. through which winds the channel
of the river along which stately steam
ers are ever passing; behind is IA dark,
rolling background of green pines, eter-
naily tossing in the air their wind-harp5
nf xyhisnarinoy naa.lteS There is an
stagnant water anywhere, and from the
bold bluff generous springs gush forth.
and send their flashing waters through
shades cast by. vine and palmetto to the
lake.
Here your correspondent found a five
acre field of Irish potatoes which would
do credit to any State-these will be
ready for market in about two weeks.
Here also we find tomatoes, cucumbers.
egg-plants and other deIicacies for the
table Nome of these hare been injured
By oar late spring frOsts.
Here we find also two gardens planted
To cabbages which are fine a. the finest.
and nearly ready for shipment. One of
these growers, Mr.. McCaskill. stated that
he had been III the business six years, ana
now grew only cabbages for market be
cause it was the surest crop
Have you ever made failure: No,
said he, 1--WE came nearest to that III the
spring of SO succeeding our coolest win
ter. One of our average crops was made
in "a, and this compares with sc thus:
f. Iaot
May p; planted one acre-crop OF cab
| bages 20 bbs-net proceeds. S5,,.. =.
! lss6-First shipment April list, last shipment
June 10; crop Of Sabbages lse bbis-net
proceeds Sa4- Il; planted one and one-hali
aertS-
You see. continued Mr.. McCaskili, We
have been making our grove referring
To the bearing trees on the hill above
where we stood. and we only trusted to
the garden for our expenses. There Is
no more expense in growing cabhage'
than in crop of corn. But we hal only
| fifty dollars ahead and we Ednted a
| grore. In 1884 we bought five dollars
| worth of manure to- start our crop, III
| 1886 we gave our soil 800 bbls of cottor
seed meal and that is all the fertilizer
we have had in five years except what
we took from the stable where we keel
one horse.
But continued this gentleman. we have
been often injured by the spring
drought. and we will now begin to per
feet a system of irrigation which will in
sure success. Through the entire length
of our lot, you see, runs a bold stream
fed by perennial springs from the hills
this we can easily use for irrigation, am
it will also lessen the danger from frost
for it is warm.
Now" said Mr.. McCaskill. for 81
small a beginning we have fair reward
for five years work, and. besides tn.
pocket aspect of the case, We are bene
fitted in body and mind. We have 5O'
orange trees and they are beginning
to bear in profitable quantities; our cab
bage crop for this year will pay all Oul
expenses-we have some money in tbs
bank-we have been healthy during tn,
whole time-have been our own bosses
and had time to read and think"
Your correspondent agrees with In
informant. and when the new postoffic,
of Wyoma and its neighborhood is mor'
generally known. its advantages will b
quickly realized. CULLEN.